At Oakland Hills

Pssst ....

I'm here now:

Annie likes to play! Well she does!

If there are issues, view it at Youtube to see my Annie kitty monkey butt.

Stop Being a Cranky Baby!

Cracked.com recently pointed out 5 excuses cranky people make when they're feeling super cranky and want to take it out on other people .  What do you think?  Do you agree with the list?

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-excuses-we-make-doing-terrible-things/

I'm a really cranky person and I am guilty of making all of these excuses ... and in all of the ways they are intended.  But are these excuses always excuses?

According to Cracked.com

Excuse: "Who Gives a Shit What they Think?"

AKA: "No one asked for your opinion."

Dangerous because: creates attitude of, "Nothing I do is wrong.  Anyone who disagrees is just stupid."

My opinion:

I disagree, but only to some extent.  I think that as long as your default reaction isn't, "Who gives a shit what they think?" then it can be a valid and sometimes useful reaction.

Think about Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion! The dumb mean girl Romy told where to shove her opinion was just a terrible person who put magnets on the back of people's back braces and just messed with people in general. My point is, consider the source of who is pointing out your faults.  Is it some random troll on the internet who is mean to everyone they don't like, or is it your best friend who baked you a magical sugar-free birthday cake that tasted like the real thing?  If someone is telling you to watch their mouth is it someone who is offended by every little thing that isn't the words "goody, goody, gosh?" or is it a parent trying to make sure their children remain in a positive, life-affirming environment?

Let's face it-why would you validate the opinion of a common bully or someone who is a little bit off? Even if other people value this person's opinion (usually out of fear of being criticized), always consider your source carefully before you decide who it is that needs to change.

However, if you're mouthing off at your boss, that's probably never a good idea.

According to Cracked.com

Excuse: "If They're Not Apologizing, Then Neither Am I!"

AKA: "If that's going to be your attitude, we just won't go out at all!"

Dangerous because: "I'm behaving this way because you made me."

My opinion:

I agree when it comes to the situations John points out in his article.  This is such a passive-aggressive and manipulative way to be. However, there are some situations that deserve a little drama. Maybe the slight isn't as small as who left the dog doo on the floor or offered to buy a hooker for grandpa.  Maybe your best friend missed your wedding just to go to Dunkin' Donuts, so you called her up and gave her what for. Should you be sorry for that?  No!  That's just insensitive.  Sometimes the other party really is at fault.

According to Cracked.com

Excuse: "He'll Get Over It."

AKA: "Man up, and stop being a pussy"

Dangerous because: It says that some feelings belonging to others are just not important enough to own up to being wrong.

My opinion:

I totally agree that we should not teach others to bottle up their feelings just because they seem petty to us. I'm also guilty of this one ... but what may have seemed petty to me at the time might have been a very big upset to whoever I was talking to.

At the same time, we can't fix every feeling in the whole world.  If after making it up to the person you are disagreeing with they might still be a big mopey.  I don't think this is a reason to self flagulate. This is the point where I console myself by saying, "Meh, don't worry it about it, they'll get over it." Yeah, it might be an excuse, but it's after I've done everything I can to make things right.

According to Cracked.com

Excuse: "I wasn't really trying, LOL."

AKA: "Oh these old rags? It's just some old clothes I threw together."

Dangerous because: It's hard to admit to rejection and so easy to lie and say, "I put no effort into this so it doesn't merit judgment!"

My opinion:

I DO THIS!!!!  I always do this.  I am terrified of rejection and being judged and therefore usually do not really try hard at anything. Even while playing petty games I rather not try to win but just have fun so if I do lose I can say, "Meh, whatevs."

I don't think this makes me a jerk, though.  It's important to know that as long as you genuinely are just goofing off and don't care about the results, it's fine. Just know it's an insult to those who really are trying to beat high scores and hone their craft ... and maybe they want to see you turn out something fantastic too so they can cheer you on.

According to Cracked.com

Excuse: "I'm an asshole and I'm proud of it."

AKA: "I don't take shit from anyone."

Dangerous because: You get into a mindset where you're always right and everyone else is always wrong which is unrealistic.

My opinion:

Do you really want nobody to like you? John is right, on TV, this type of person is where it's at.  The Santana Lopezes and Dr. Houses of the world are sexy when they beat others down--but who actually want to be around the person who does this?  There was this woman in my office who used to do this all the time.  Now she does it less and people really love being around her more than they did when she was  a supposed badass.

It's easy to be a jerk when you're cranky, and we're all going to make mistakes and not own up to them.  Life is better and more fun when you're loving to others and spend time appreciating their good qualities instead of tearing down their bad ones.

Pajamas With No Socks Girl

My thirtieth birthday was glorious. Wearing a lemony yellow dress and gold flats, I had a lovely supper with my mother and my boyfriend, Greg. My mother had never been to a Japanese steak house before and was terrified of the flames from the hibachi performance. It was hilarious watching her jump up from the table and run in fear across the restaurant multiple times. Poor mom!

When we got home there was a package waiting for us at the steps.

Inside the box was another box.

And then another box.

And then an envelope with a black velvet box inside that box.

It was my birthday present from Greg!

After the fun of opening the boxes I squealed, "Don't get down on one knee!" He didn't. He asked me to marry him in Swedish with our kitten at our feet and my mom watching in the background. I answered in Swedish and he kissed me and kissed me and then I spent all evening looking at the ring because I'd really wanted it.

And now I've decided that it's nice that I have a nice ring, but I never needed the ring. All I want is Greg and our cat. The ring ... is very sparkly and modern and I feel so weird wearing it because I'm not a very fancy person. It's not, as my friend Linda would say, "tacky big" or anything, but ... I have this feeling that he could have proposed with an onion ring ... and now I'm craving onion rings.

If I could wear Greg on my finger all day, I would. I would shrink him and carry him around all day and feed him snacks and keep him entertained.

Would that be any less weird?

So much grown up stuff all at once. The apartment, the cat, the engagement ring. I feel all this pressure to be the grown-up to live up to it, but I know I won't. I'll still be the girl who only does towels when we've run out and waits until the last minute to do her taxes. I stlll eat too much at parties and then feel sick all week. And I would always rather watch cartoons and musicals than Law and Order or some more modern cultural reference.

And my favorite outfit will always be pajamas and no socks instead of a dress with crinoline.

IS THAT NORMAL?!

It's that time again! (Actually it's never been that time. What can I say, I miss Animaniacs!)

It's time for some link-up fun via Chalk in the Rain's IS THAT NORMAL?

Here goes nothing!

________________________________________________________________

1. Is it normal to lie about your age?

Don't think I haven't thought about doing this ... who doesn't? Do you think I could get away with being five years old? I could move back home and tell my mom it was all a dream.

2. Is it normal to have mistaken someone for the opposite sex?

Gender expression being as subjective as it is, I think it would be abnormal for someone not to have experienced this. I spent half the year one time having a crush on a guy in eighth grade only to find out later she was a girl!

3. Is it normal to go #2 in a public restroom?

I don't understand why this is a bug-a-boo ... but I find I cannot do even a #1 if people are freaking talking in the bathroom. Take the conversation outside, ladies!

4. Is it normal to sit RIGHT NEXT TO a stranger at the movie theater?

Probably not, but I always like the company unless I'm trying to get my mack on.

5. Is it normal to lie about your weight?

Well it depends. There are connotations surrounding certain numbers. 120 lbs seems to be the magic number for females to weigh whether they are 4 ft 6 or 6 ft 4! It's ridiculous. It's just one measurement. Who cares how much you weigh when it's all about inches?

6. Is it normal to sing and dance in the car?

Isn't it? Oh, is that why I get those looks at stop lights?

7. Is it normal to take self-pictures in public?

If MySpace never existed, I'll bet this wouldn't be an issue. Self-portraits are fun! It's like the only real fun Thelma and Louise ever had!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

8. Is it normal for women to have a gun license?

Odd question. I hope everyone wielding a gun has a license. Duh.

9. Is it normal to post pictures online of yourself in a bikini?

Hey, if I like the way I look, I'm going to post it. I don't have a filter!

Me, age 17. Boo-yah.

Then again, nobody has ever called me normal.

10. Is it normal to like the smell of gasoline?

Isn't it weird how common this is? I hear it's an additive, so we may as well enjoy it!

Well, what do you think? IS IT NORMAL?

Watched Pots

Trying to drown out the sound of my coworker snapping her gum, I picked up my headphones and switched on Arcade Fire's Kettles.

Kettles was one of the songs on the Funeral album that never resonated much with me. The lyrics didn't penetrate through the whistle of tea kettle permeating every note in the song. I guess I could forgive that. After all, there are so many strong tracks on the Funeral album that one or two are bound to skip my notice.

I first listened to the Funeral album many years after it came out. I had never even heard of Arcade Fire until that year because someone in some forum was arguing the superiority of Arcade Fire to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes in 2010. I figured it was smart to think for myself and listen to their album. I loved it so much that I went on a crusade that summer to win some tickets to their Merriweather Show. Successful, I became a fan ... and then subsequently forgot about them as the new latest thing caught my attention.

Listening to Kettles two years later, I not only love the song, but the song has helped me identify the solution to a problem concerning my career goals.

I can now identify my problem. I have been uncertain about the career I chose for myself. Social work seemed like the perfect field for me, but after a while I've learned it is a little bit depressing and overwhelming.

The key question was this: Did I really want to immerse myself in human suffering when I'm finally starting to get on my feet? Couldn't I close my eyes and just be grateful that I was able to change some things in my own life? I can't live everyone's lives for them. Others need to make changes to make themselves happy.

Then these lyrics penetrated me today:

All the neighbors starting up a fire burning all the old folks, the witches, and the lies. My eyes are covered by the hands of my unborn kids. But my heart keeps watching through the skin of my eyelids. They say a watched pot won't ever boil. Well I closed my eyes and nothing changed. Just some water getting hotter in the flames.

I was beginning to think that I could close my eyes to human suffering, but I can't. I won't. Maybe if I work toward a happier world I'll fail and feel frustrated. But what if I succeed?

I know for sure that if I don't try at all, if I close my eyes to the world around me and continue to live in denial, the world's problems will without a doubt continue to heat up and boil.

It is going to be hard work. Just to get my degree I have to somehow find a job that pays enough to get me through as well as lets me go to my internship for the next couple of years. Plus, I am probably not going to make a lot of money.

Once I do work in the field, there might be problems I cannot solve.

I have to at least try, even if I am afraid.

Eyes wide open,

My musings on: STUFF I PUT ON MYSELF: a makeup blog: Washin' Hair + Keeping It Washed

"STUFF I PUT ON MYSELF: a makeup blog: Washin' Hair + Keeping It Washed: I thought I would write about haircare today.  I don't mean to keep mentioning that I am writing stuff because I got requests for posts..."

Okay, I love Natalie Dee so hard ... why? Not only because she pens amazing comics, or because she's cuter than buttons (why do people say buttons are cute?), but because her beauty blog covers such basic how-tos for real slackers like me. If it was up to me I would never shave or do anything to be pretty and would lay outside in the mud all day.  Since I'm not a crazy mud layabout, I glitter paint my nails and sometimes wear dresses.

However, Natalie Dee doesn't allow comments on her blog and I just wanted to say something about her hair care routine, the one where it allows others to not wash their hair for most of the week. After using a bunch of products in the right way she can get away with four days without washing her hair, which is awesome. I can get on board with that kind of slackery.  However, I think it's very important to at least wash bangs (or fringe as it's called now) every other day. Seriously, that hair is all over the face and can lead to acne if not cleared of oils.  If hair is going to be up anyway the third day, why not pull bangs out of the shower cap and soap 'em on up?  Seriously, you'll smell so much better too.   I find that if I wash my bangs every other day I can get away without washing my whole head even longer using her routine.

I have different hair than Natalie, though.  It's thin and naturally curly.  I had a friend once who told me if I stopped coloring my hair it wouldn't be curly anymore but she was wrong--it just became a different color and still curly after a year of growing it out.  I find not washing it daily can be beneficial, but nothing is more gross than dirty, clumpy fringe.  Fringe should always be shiny and awesome.  Yay, fringe!